After Damon had left the previous night, I didn't see him before falling asleep. When I woke up this morning, it was Sebastian who informed me that we would be leaving the palace for some time. However, for some reason, I couldn't bring myself to believe him. He had been finding it difficult to look me in the eyes. I frowned, "Why are you lying to me?" Turning my full attention to him, I continued, "Why are you telling me lies, Sebastian? Why?"
"Milady," he cleared his throat, "why do you think I would lie? Why would I lie when it's just for us to spend some time outside this palace? I tell no lies, milady."
"I don't believe you." I stood up, hugging the book to my chest. "I haven't known you for long, but in the few days we've been talking, I've noticed the telltale signs of when you're lying."
"Milady, I assure you, I have no hidden agenda."
"You leave me no choice but to think that way, Sebastian." I frowned. "I want to believe you would never betray me, but I can't help but feel that I'm being betrayed." I watched his expression closely, and he exhaled, looking as if he was struggling. "Tell me what's happening."
Sebastian finally gave in, "I was asked to take you far away from here. They said you would be in great danger here."
I clutched the book to my chest, hoping it wasn't Damon's doing. He wouldn't send me away without even saying goodbye or discussing it with me.
I told him he shouldn't send me away, and he agreed. He lied, Damon the fifth." Sebastian's expression appeared sad. "He recently found out about Norman, and that seems to have pushed him over the edge."
"What did he find, and why would that upset him?" I hurriedly asked, "Tell me everything, Sebastian."
"Norman uses black magic, just like Alex, but Norman's powers are on another level. He's dangerous, and the fact that he wants you must have made Damon worried."
"How did you find out all this?"
"I discovered it myself and shared the information with Damon."
"Why?" I asked, feeling betrayed. "What did he say that made you want to work for him?"
"He made it possible for others to see me. Now, not only you but everyone can see me," Sebastian said with a hint of happiness. "The young master is powerful, you must marry him."
"That's not going to happen now, Sebastian."
"Why not?"
"He is sending me away." Turning around, I frowned. "He said he wouldn't, but he tried to use you to achieve that. I'll make it happen for him. I'll go far away, and I don't need you to come."
"That won't be good, milady." Sebastian's voice was filled with worry. "The duel is tomorrow. Your running away will make him worried, and it will be canceled. The faster the duel, the better. The vampires have already taken over another village, and this tribe still doesn't have a king. You need to stay here, safe, to keep him at peace."
"Do you care for him now?"
"I care for whoever loves milady and who my lady loves."
"I'm not sure I love him, Sebastian," I mumbled. I didn't turn around. "He still confuses me with the secret he's hiding about Lara. I mean, why won't he just tell me? I still don't know what happened, and then he tried to send me away. I don't think I love him."
"Do you hate him?"
"No, my feelings are complicated."
"But you chose him over Alex, right?"
Nodding my head, I smiled and then turned around. "Definitely." My mouth went dry when I saw the person standing behind Sebastian. Damon was holding a red rose in his hands, but he didn't look happy. I should have been the one feeling sad.
Moving toward him, I slapped him hard across the face. The sound echoed in the room. "You planned on sending me away. You said you wouldn't."
"I said no such thing."
"You lied to me!" I yelled. Sebastian vanished out of our sight. "You liar, you're a liar." Damon caught my hand before it could touch his face. "Stop it, Ava. You don't think before talking, always saying silly things."
"Why on earth would I push you away when all I've been trying to do is make you love me? Have you thought of that?"
"Why should I? Maybe you want some alone time with Zulu, to catch up."
"Zulu left, Ava. Zulu left this palace a long time ago, but you never noticed. Do you know why? It's because you never take the time to think or notice things happening around you."
"Don't raise your voice at me, Damon."
"Or what?" He growled, looking angry. "What will you do, Ava? Run away? Is that what you'll do? It seems like that's the only reasonable thing you've been doing since we came to this village." A tear dropped from my eyes. "And you're crying. What else can you do, Ava?"
"I hate you." The words left my mouth before I realized it. He looked expressionless. "I hate you so much." I hit his chest, but he didn't flinch. "You liar, I hate you."
"You will never love me, Ava, will you?" he said, smiling down at me. "I know that much, and I won't force it on you. But hearing those words from you is dreadful. I was planning on sending you home because Norman has bad intentions towards you. I care, Ava, that's why I want you to be safe." He leaned in and kissed me, not like his usual kisses, but a sad one. "You hate me, but I marked you. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that if I knew I would never win your love."
"Damon, I..."
"It's okay, Ava. You stay here. I have to talk to Chase about something important. I'll see you later this evening." With that, I watched Damon walk away, the rose he brought on the floor. The door closed behind him, and I cried, regretting how selfish and stupid I had been.
I felt silly, so silly, so stupid for uttering such hurtful words to him. I knew how he felt toward me, and I knew he was doing everything for my sake. Yet, I had called him a liar and told him I hated him.
I cried bitterly, sitting on the floor, thinking, "Silly Ava, I am so silly. I just pushed away the man who has always loved me because of my selfishness."
"Silly Ava, I am so silly. I just pushed away the man who has always loved me because of my selfishness."
As tears continued to flow, I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of regret for my impulsive actions. I had wounded Damon, the one who cared for my safety and well-being, with my thoughtless words. It was evident that he only wanted to protect me from potential harm, and my stubbornness had caused unnecessary pain.
I sat there on the floor, lost in my thoughts, as minutes turned into what felt like hours. The realization of my recklessness weighed heavily on my heart. A sense of self-disgust swept over me as I considered how thoughtless and ungrateful I had been.
Eventually, I wiped away my tears and stood up, determined to make amends. I couldn't let my impulsiveness destroy the bond between Damon and me. I needed to find him and apologize for my hurtful words.
I made my way through the palace, searching for Damon, unsure of where he might be. I wanted to find him, to tell him how deeply sorry I was, and to make him understand that I didn't hate him. I hoped that my heartfelt apology would begin to heal the wounds I had inflicted on our relationship.
As I continued my search, I couldn't help but reflect on the complexity of my feelings. Love, insecurity, and a web of emotions intertwined making it difficult for me to truly understand what I wanted. One thing was certain, though: I didn't want to lose Damon, a man who had always been there for me, even when I had pushed him away.